RESIDENT IMMATURE BALD EAGLE

This eagle is a resident eagle as I've seen him about on the lake all summer.  He appears to be about three years of age, maybe a little less.  Note that his beak is acquiring the yellow shade of the adult.  He has another year or better to reach adulthood.  He's a beaut!

THE AMERICAN BEAVER

 Below:  Beaver has a transparent membrane that covers the eye when they prepare to dive.  It can be seen on the image below:

And he's gone

CONTACT WITH HEAVEN

REVISIT AMIS MILL - an East Tennessee historical site

This is one of the most beautiful places near where I live in Rogersville, East Tennessee.  I won't go into the actual history as its covered elsewhere on this blog, or one could look at Wickapedia.  The recent rains have made the waterfall a wondrous sight.

FEW HOURS ON BEECH CREEK

click on pictures to enlarge.

I needed to get away for a few hours where I couldn't hear any engines, talking, yelling, cars or anything.  I chose to take a canoe paddle up, Beech Creek.  Ah - total silence.

 This is as far as one can go upstream on Beech Creek.  It becomes so shallow that a risk of dragging over a rock presented itself.  This is a kevlar canoe with gel coat.  I don't want rock damage.

 A grebe

 He dodged about in the river grass thinking I couldn't see him.  But, I did.

SOUNDS OF SILENCE

Still - Listen to your heartbeat

Below:  tapestries

 Above and below:  Water reflections early morning light

MORNING HAS BROKEN

Watching the morning unfold while sitting on a boat on the water can be kin to a religious experience.  The sky sort of opens up space and the sun throws its morning beams down to touch the water and the mountains.

 As things slowly brighten up, the fabulous colors created by soft light and the reflective qualities of calm, quiet water take over and paint a sublime picture of calm and peace.

One's mind tries to slow down the process so that the eyes can take in "everything" that is unfolding before him.

And when morning finally breaks full, the wild creatures arise to start their daily routines

 Breakfast is the first and foremost thought in everyone's mind and they awake with eyes piercing the water hoping to find that one fish that didn't graduate from the academy - and there always is one.

My friend.  My partner.  The one I love